Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-8bhkd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-08T01:20:52.577Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Social motivation in children with autism: Support from attachment research

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 July 2019

David Oppenheim
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology and Center for the Study of Child DevelopmentUniversity of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel. [email protected]@psy.haifa.ac.il
Nina Koren-Karie
Affiliation:
School of Social Work and Center for the Study of Child Development, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel. [email protected]
Tirtsa Joels
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology and Center for the Study of Child DevelopmentUniversity of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel. [email protected]@psy.haifa.ac.il

Abstract

We provide support from attachment research to the argument that children with autism only appear to lack social motivation. This research has shown that the attachment system of children with autism is intact, and one-half form secure attachments. This is illustrated with an observation of a young child with autism during a separation and reunion observation with his mother.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ainsworth, M. D. S., Blehar, M. C., Waters, E. & Wall, S. (1978) Patterns of attachment: A psychological study of the strange situation. Erlbaum.Google Scholar
Feniger-Schaal, R., Oppenheim, D., Koren-Karie, N. & Yirmiya, N. (2011) Attachment and intellectual disabilities. In: Handbook of Intellectual Disability, ed. Burak, J., pp. 334–48. Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Koren-Karie, N., Oppenheim, D., Dolev, S. & Yirmiya, N. (2009) Mothers of securely attached children with autism spectrum disorder are more sensitive than mothers of insecurely attached children. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 50:643–50.Google Scholar
Oppenheim, D., Koren-Karie, N., Dolev, S. & Yirmiya, N. (2009) Maternal insightfulness and resolution of the diagnosis are related to secure attachment in preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder. Child Development 80:519–27.Google Scholar
Rutgers, A. H., Bakermans-Kranenburg, M. J., van IJzendoorn, M. H. & Van Berckelaer-Onnes, I. A. (2004) Autism and attachment: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 45(6):1123–34.Google Scholar